Recent Progress in Separation of Macromolecules and Particulates

Separation and characterization of materials is an essential step in the advancement of science and technology. The need for separation and characterization could arise from wishes to obtain purified samples with less contaminants, requirements for quality control of materials for downstream applications, or needs to identify structures and conformations of active species present in the applications. The types of materials encountered in applications are diverse, from synthetic polymers and biological derived biopolymers to micro or submicro particles and various conjugated or self-assembled nanomaterials. This makes the task of separation and characterization challenging. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Scientists, whether working in academia or in industries, are constantly facing new challenges. Communication between scientists is essential for keeping each other updated on developments in the field. This was the motivation for organizing the symposium on "Recent Progress in Separation of Macromolecules and Particulates" at the 2017 Spring National American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting in San Francisco. Symposiums based on such a theme have been organized several times in ACS meetings as well as in other settings, but no such symposium books have been published. Hence, the editors decided to put together this symposium book, based on the talks presented at the symposium, in the hope that knowledge shared at the meeting can be shared more broadly within the community and beyond.

Yongmei Wang (Ph.D) is a professor in Chemistry Department at The University of Memphis. She received her B.S. degree from University of Science and Technology of China in 1985 and PhD in Chemistry from University of Notre Dame in 1990. Her research interests are theoretical/computational studies for polymer characterization, polymer based gene delivery and nanomedicines. She has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, organized/ co-organized symposiums in the areas of separation and characterization of macromolecules and nanoparticles, gene delivery and nanomedicines. She was the recipient of Dunavant Professorship from the University of Memphis, and the Alumni Association of Distinguished Research Award from the University of Memphis.

Wei Gao (Ph.D) is a Senior Research Scientist in Analytical Sciences, Corporate R&D, at The Dow Chemical Company. She received her B.S. degree from Fudan University in 1991 and PhD in Polymer Chemistry and Physics from Peking University in 1997. Her research interests are on synthesis-structure-property relationship of polymeric and colloidal products, characterization of macromolecules and colloids through separation with advanced detections, and sustainable polymers. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, more than 20 patents and patent applications. She organized/co-organized ACS symposiums in the areas of separation and characterization of macromolecules and particles, polymer sciences for everyday things, and polymer colloids. She also served in scientific program committee for GPC2015 conference and the international symposium on Field- and Flow-based separations (FFF2018). She was the recipient of NOVA Innovation Award from Rohm and Haas Company, and US EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards.

Sara Orski is a Research Chemist in the Materials Science and Engineering Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). She earned her B.S. degree at The College of William and Mary in 2006 and her Ph.D. in Chemistry at The University of Georgia in 2011. Her current research interests are in the design, synthesis, and characterization of regularly branched polyolefins, which can be used as model materials to quantify the effect of macromolecular chemistry and architecture on dilute solution properties, and can serve as potential next-generation standard reference materials for the US plastics industry. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, 4 book chapters, and a patent. She is an active in scientific community service including serving as an ACS councilor and the chair of the Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) for her local ACS section, The Chemical Society of Washington. She is also co-chair of the ACS POLY-PMSE Student Chapters organizing committee.

X. Michael Liu (Ph.D) is a Global Associate Research Fellow at Pfizer, Inc. He serves as an editorial board member for International Journal of Analytical Mass Spectrometry, Chromatography and Chromatographic Science, and Application of Chromatography in Pharmaceutical Analysis. Dr. Liu is an accomplished scientific leader with strong functional management experience. He received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Massachusetts, a M.S. in Product Development from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Sun Yat-sen University. He has extensive knowledge in product development, pre-formulation, material characterization, and analytical chemistry. With over 20 years of industrial experience, Dr. Liu has actively involved in developing pharmaceutical and medical device products for global markets, building and leading technical teams, securing regulatory approvals, and supporting commercial efforts. Dr. Liu has published more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 patents and patent applications. He organized/co-organized technical symposia focused on polymers in biomedical/pharmaceutical applications and characterization in national ACS meetings. His current research interests include preformulation of coatings and soft-gels used for various pharmaceutical dosage forms. He also helped create innovative technology platforms to support new product development and process improvements.